1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of outdoor advertising using an informational or decorative graphic article. More particularly, the present invention relates to an outdoor display, information, or advertising system comprising a multi-layer graphic article that is applied to an outdoor surface such as concrete, asphalt and the like. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an outdoor advertising system including an imageable base layer and a frictionally modified surface layer that can be laminated to the base layer following imaging of the base layer to protect the image.
2. Description of Related Art
To convey an informational message to a viewer, or simply to decorate a surface, a myriad of graphic articles are available for application to a wide variety of substrates. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,532 to Ho et al. describes a multilayer decorative graphic article intended for application to a surface, such as a motor vehicle body, marine craft hull, snowmobile body, vertical sign face, or the like. The graphic article described in the '532 patent to Ho comprises a substrate, at least one color layer disposed on the substrate, and a "clear" or "transparent" protective surface layer that overlies the substrate and the color layer. The Ho patent teaches that the color layer, which can be continuous or discontinuous, is visible through the protective surface layer. The protective layer described in the '532 patent can be formulated to provide the graphic article with interior surface protection properties, such as resistance to scuffing and chemical attack from indoor cleaning solutions, cosmetics, food and the like. In the alternative, the Ho reference discloses that the protective layer can be formulated to render the graphic article weatherable and resistant to exposure to harsh chemicals such as motor fuel. While extremely versatile, the un-textured protective surface films described in the '532 would not be expected to have the skid resistance necessary for use in an advertising article that is to be applied to a horizontal surface with pedestrian traffic. In addition, the Ho patent does not contemplate a display system that would be imageable and readily changeable by the advertiser.
The decorative polymeric layer materials described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,922 to Shortway et al., which are intended for use as floor, wall or ceiling coverings, include a base layer with either an embossed or a smooth surface. The base layer, typically a fibrous backing layer, is printed on one surface with a multi-colored pattern or design. Overlying the design on the base layer is a wear layer, which can have a relatively smooth surface, or a surface embossed in selected areas to provide texture or effect. Again, while extremely versatile, the coverings described in the '922 patent to Shortway would not be expected to have the necessary anti-skid properties necessary for outdoor applications. In addition, the polymeric layer components described in the '922 patent would not be expected to be readily removable from an outdoor surface to provide an advertising article that can be easily changed by the advertiser.
To reach potential purchasers with outdoor advertising, advertisers have traditionally used print media and television commercials to disseminate information about new products, product features, and prices. These "traditional" forms of advertising, while highly effective, reach the customer a significant distance from the point of product purchase. In recent years advertisers have sought to reach potential customers for their products in many innovative ways, moving ever closer to the point of purchase in an attempt to positively influence the purchase decision and take advantage of the advertiser's brand identity. One non-traditional advertising approach that has enjoyed success in recent years is the "floor graphic," a multi-layer informational graphic article with an non-uniform uppermost surface intended for horizontal application for a quite short duration on an exposed area of a floor. While the application of graphics via adhesive to areas of foot traffic is quite old, use of such graphics for brand advertisement is becoming very accepted because of the beauty of the image in the graphic. Floor graphics, such as those sold by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M) of St. Paul, Minn., USA under the trade designation "FloorMinders" graphics, are intended for indoor branding or other informational application to areas of the floor in supermarkets, department stores, lobbies, convenience stores and the like. These graphic articles are not applied to the floor to make it more durable. Rather, these graphic articles are applied to the floor in an area near an advertiser's product on the shelf or aisle, near points of purchase where marketing surveys indicate a significant percentage of purchase decisions are made by the buyer. The graphic articles are multi-layer film constructions comprising two principal components: an imageable base film, which can be clear or colored, an image layer applied to the base film, and protective top film that overlies the base film and the image layer. The base film, which can be cut to a suitable shape or size, includes on a first surface a base film adhesive to adhere the graphic article to the indoor floor surface. On a second surface, the base film includes a highly detailed image layer produced by a suitable method such as, for example, electrostatic printing or screen printing. To protect the image on the base film from foot traffic because the image can not become obscured or damaged to assure continued good brand recognition, a substantially clear protective layer with a non-uniform upper surface is applied over the image layer and the base film. The protective layer typically includes a substantially clear pressure sensitive adhesive to adhere to the image layer and/or the base film.
In view of the demonstrated success of floor graphic articles, it is desired to use them not only indoors near the advertised product, but also outdoors on horizontal surfaces such as sidewalks, parking lots, and the like, to entice the potential customer into the place of business where the advertised products are sold. However, the multi-layer laminates previously used for indoor floor graphics have not proved suitable for outdoor use on surfaces intended for foot traffic. First, to ensure that the graphic article is suitable for use on outdoor surfaces subject to foot traffic, the protective layer must not only be formulated to be weatherable in an outdoor environment, but must also maintain sufficient skid resistance to allow persons to safely walk over the graphic article without loss of footing.
To modify the frictional properties of an exposed, upper surface of a clear, image-protecting film, U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,274 to Tarbutton et al. describes a transparent friction surface sheet intended for application to a skateboard or similarly smooth surface with an ornamental design. The friction surface layer in the '274 patent includes a substantially clear film with transparent glass particles no larger than 10 Tyler mesh embedded in a binder on an exposed surface of the film. The '274 patent notes that the glass particles on the exposed surface of the layer can be applied to permit visual observation of an underlying decorative design such as, for example, an ornamental design on the surface of a skateboard, with little or no distortion. The '274 patent also suggests that a surface of the sheet can be imprinted with a design, message or other indicia.